Chrysanthemum plant named `Orange State`

ABSTRACT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora and referred to by the cultivar name Orange State.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

Orange State was found as a natural orange mutation (sport) of the variety Golden State (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,694) by Peter S. Hesse in a controlled growing environment at Clearwater Nursery, Nipomo, Calif. 93444, U.S.A. This mutation was discovered as one flowering shoot within a flowering bench of the seedling Golden State, in March of 1992.

The first set of asexual reproduction of Orange State was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken in June 1992, in a controlled environment in Nipomo, Calif. by Peter S. Hesse.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successive plantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Orange State are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Orange State has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in the environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in a controlled environment in Nipomo, Calif. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck into 6.5" pots and grown under the natural temperature and daylength prevailing in January through March of 1996.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of Orange State, which in combination distinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar.

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Anemone capitulum type.

3. Orange fully expanded outer ray florets.

4. Orange anemone disc with green eye.

5. Diameter across the face of capitulum of 9.3 cm.

6. Exceptional upright to spreading habit with an average of 4.0 breaks after a single pinch.

7. Flowering response is approximately 58 days from the start of short days.

8. Relatively easy to control plant height on the bench such that the finished height will range from 14 inches to 18 inches depending on pot size and market requirements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical inflorescence and leaf characteristics of Orange State, with the colors being as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type.

Sheet 1 is a color photograph of Orange State grown as a pinched spray pot mum with 5 cuttings in a 6.5" pot.

Color designations are made with respect to the 1986 edition of R.H.S. Colour Chart, first published in 1986 by The British Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. The B-Nine™ growth regulator referred to in the culturing procedures is 2,2-dimethylhydrazide sold under the name of Daminozide or Alar, manufactured by Uni Royal.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in form, color, and habit to Orange State is the parent cultivar Golden State. Chart A compares certain characteristics of Orange State to the same characteristics of Golden State. The plants were grown side by side in a controlled greenhouse environment. Growth regulator B-Nine™ was applied at 2,500 ppm in 3 applications. Comparisons were made in November, 1992 in Nipomo, Calif.

                  TABLE A                                                          ______________________________________                                                     GOLDEN STATE                                                                              ORANGE STATE                                            ______________________________________                                         CAPITULUM FORM                                                                               FLAT         FLAT                                                CAPITULUM TYPE                                                                               ANEMONE      ANEMONE                                             DIAMETER ACROSS                                                                              6.5 CM       9.3 CM                                              FACE OF CAPITULUM                                                              BRANCHING PATTERN                                                                            UPRIGHT AND  UPRIGHT                                                           SPREADING    SPREADING                                           BREAKS/PINCH  5.0          4.0                                                 HEIGHT IN A 6.5" POT                                                                         14-18 INCHES 14-18 INCHES                                        DISC FLORET COLOR                                                                            EDGE BEGIN   MOSTLY                                                            W/9A         ORANGE                                                            GRADUATING   GRADUATING                                                        TO YELLOW    TO YELLOW                                                         GREEN 144A   GREEN 144A                                          # DISC FLORETS                                                                               171          219                                                 LENGTH OF DISC                                                                               1.43 CM      1.04 CM                                             FLORETS                                                                        RAY FLORET COLOR                                                                             FRONT: GOLDEN                                                                               FRONT: GREYED-                                                    YELLOW 9A    ORANGE 163B                                                       BACK: PALE   BACK: GREYED-                                                     YELLOW 8A    ORANGE 163D                                         # RAY FLORETS 19           20.6                                                SHAPE OF RAY  ELLIPTIC     ELLIPTIC                                            FLORETS                                                                        LENGTH OF     3.6 CM       4.4 CM                                              RAY FLORETS                                                                    WIDTH OF      1.09 CM      1.4 CM                                              RAY FLORETS                                                                    # OF FLOWERS/ 6.75         6.8                                                 BREAK                                                                          LEAF COLOR    FRONT: 147A  147Q UPPER                                                        BACK: 147B   147B LOWER                                          MATURE LEAF LENGTH                                                                           UP TO 12.5 CM                                                                               UP TO 11.2 CM                                       MATURE LEAF WIDTH                                                                            AVERAGE 8.8 CM                                                                              AVERAGE 8.8 CM                                      RESPONSE/TREATMENT                                                                           8.5 WEEKS    8.5 WEEKS                                                         medium vigorous                                                                             medium vigorous                                                   grower       grower                                              ______________________________________                                    

Traits of the 2 cultivars are similar with respect to the large flat, anemone capitulum and a similar upright, spreading branching pattern and similar number of breaks per pinch per plant and a finished height that is about the same. Each also has a similar number of ray florets and leaf color and dimension. The response time of 8.5 weeks from the start of short days is the same for both plants. However, the diameter of the capitulum of Orange State may be larger than the capitulum of Golden State and the disc floret color of Orange State is orange with a green eye, while it is golden yellow with a green eye for Golden State. Orange State tends to have more disc florets than Golden State. The length of the disc florets is smaller for Orange State. The front Ray floret color for Orange State is greyed-orange 163 B, while for Golden State the floret color is yellow 9A. The back ray floret color of Orange State is greyed-orange 163D, for Golden State it is pale yellow 6A. The ray florets of both cultivars are elliptic. Orange State has ray florets that are longer than Golden State. The width of the ray florets is greater for Orange State.

The Plant

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora CV. name Orange State.

Commercial.--Flat anemone to be grown primarily as a Spray/CBR (center bud removed) or disbud pot mum.

Inflorescence:

Capitulum.--Form: Flat. Type: Anemone. Diameter across face: average of 9.3 cm. Disc diameter (fully mature): 2.2 cm.

Corolla of ray florets.--Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters): Orange. Color: Front fully expanded ray floret: 163 B. Back fully expanded ray floret: 163 D. Disc floret color. Edge begins with 163 B. Center green of 144 A.

General appearance:

Height.--When grown in a 6.5" pot with 1-4 applications of B-Nine at a rate of 2500 ppm, the total plant height from the bottom of the pot may be maintained at 14 to 18 inches.

Branching pattern.--Upright and spreading with an average of 4.0 breaks when grown with one pinch.

Foliage.--Color (upper surface): 147 A. Color (lower surface): 147 B. Shape: See photograph coarsely divided.

Reproductive organs.--Gynoecium: Present in ray and disc florets. Androecium: Present in disc floret only. Pollen: Scant. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct chrysanthemum plant named `Orange State` substantially 